In the sterile recovery room, as anesthesia slowly released its grip, Aria drifted through a dreamscape of memories.[]
She found herself back on campus during spring term.[]
Cherry blossoms cascaded around them like pink snow as she and Marcus strolled hand in hand along the riverside path, their uniforms crisp in the afternoon light.]
Looking up at his handsome profile, she couldn’t resist throwing her arms around him, holding on as if she might lose him any second.[]
But dream–Marcus suddenly stiffened, pushing her away before striding forward with determined steps.[]
Aria ran until her lungs burned, but the distance between them only grew.]
She collapsed to her knees in despair, tears blurring the world around her. Through the haze, she saw Marcus standing a few yards away, his expression filled with longing and regret.]
“Stop chasing me, Aria,” he said softly. “Wait for me right where you are, okay? I promise I’ll come back to you…“[]
The breeze lifted strands of her hair, and in that instant, Marcus vanished completely.[]
“Marcus!” Aria’s eyes flew open, her pillow soaked with tears.[]
She touched her wet cheeks in confusion, her heart aching with renewed grief.
As she struggled to reach the water pitcher on her bedside table, she noticed two
figures seated on the
visitor’s couch in the corner.
Her parents.
“Mom! Dad!” Aria attempted to rise, childishly hoping they had come out of genuine concern for her after surgery.]
Instead, her mother’s hand cracked across her face
with stunning force.
“You useless disappointment! We were counting anyone?”
B
you
to
give Ryan a child to secure your position, and now you’ve lost a fallopian tube. What good are you to
Her mother’s heavily made–up eyes narrowed with contempt
she continued her trade.
Her father joined in, his voice equally harsh:
inheritance when he kicked the
bucket We
Aria cradled her stinging cheek, how
Soul–crushing despa
She finally allowed the dam
tears
cell
all
in
of
emotions
to
should
forced
you
to
marry that old CEO from the Lee Corporation. At least we’d have gotten a decent
dried
- up.
body,
her
“Did you ever–even once–see me as your daughter.
for years, dancing on whatever strings you pull. No
Her father lunged forward,
with
“You ungrateful little bitch! You have absolutely
faster than you can
blink!”
The couple continued their
Aria sat on th
no
ving
instead
nothing i
raw
of
with
a
years
bone–deep coldness in its wake.]
of
suppressed pain:]
business asset? In your eyes, I’m just
living for myself now. I want this divorce!“]
ce that blood immediately spurted from her
y in this divorce! If your selfish bullshit affe
before storming out, slamming the door behind them.[]
cold floor, warm blood dripping from her split lip onto her palm.[]
For the first time, she felt completely detached from her so–called family.[]
investment to be leveraged. I’ve been your puppet
and mouth, sending her tumbling from the bed.]
our partnership with the Morgan Group, we’ll disown you
She’d been holding out hope that somewhere, buried beneath their ambition,
harbored..
some affection for their only daughter.[]
My Ex Planned His Wedding On My Death Day?!
190.37
That illusion had finally shattered]
No one loved her. It was time she learned to love herself]
Mercifully, during her two week hospital stay, Ryan didn’t resurface to cause more damage, allowing her wounds to heal in relative peace.[]
The court’s judgment had not yet been rendered. Coupled with the fact that she had isolated herself in the years since Marcus left and gradually lost touch with her friends, she had no choice but to drag her suitcase and return to the mansion.[]
Before she even reached the front steps, she discovered the yard littered with her belongings–every personal item from her bedroom strewn across the lawn.
Her favorite comforter was caked with mud and leaves, and her carefully collected first–edition books were waterlogged beyond salvation, their pages swollen and illegible
She silently gathered what she could salvage when suddenly her heart stopped–the thought of something irreplaceable hidden in her dresser drawer.]
Aria frantically picked through the scattered furniture, finally locating the weathered cabinet, only to find the cherished item missing.||
“Looking for this?” A mocking voice called out.
